Concealment
by Morning Bleach
Summary: While Marinette recovers from a hard akuma battle she learns that Chat has found out her identity, and knows her civilian self. Returning to school with injuries will be tough enough without trying to figure out who Chat might be. Then to top it off Adrien has taken a keen interest in everything Marinette and she is about to learn just why that is... "Adrien...?" COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1 Thanks for the Help

**Welcome to my first _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir_ story.  
Authors Note at bottom  
Please Enjoy! **

**Concealment**

Chapter One

Thanks for the Help

POV: Chat Noir

"Ladybug!" Chat's scream filled the air as Ladybug's body fell.

The akuma had been brutal. Both masked teens were battered and bruised but somehow Ladybug had managed to use her Lucky Charm and get the akuma purified. But the Dragonfly like victim had been miles in the air by that point. Throwing her Lucky Charm into the air, Ladybug reversed the damage and saved the victim, but she was falling… and she wasn't using her yo-yo to swing to safely.

Chat leapt from the roof after her. He dove, angling his body to fall towards her, catching up as they rushed towards the concrete below. Screams started reaching his ears as the onlookers realized what was happening. Finally understanding that Ladybug wasn't going to save herself.

Chat reached her without a second to spare. Gripping her around the waist, he extended his baton towards the closest building, stabbing the cement to slow their decent. The extreme jarring ripped at his arm and shoulder but he refused to let it affect him. Using his baton as propulsion, he shot towards the building across the street and grabbed the cement facade with one clawed hand. The claws were tearing apart as his decent continued – his speed was still too great – he leapt away to a third building, then a fourth. Each time trying to slow his momentum.

All too quickly only ten stories separated him from the concrete below. He leapt to a far building and he gripped with all his might, screaming in pain as he slid down it's face. Finally Chat jumped for the last time toward a field of grass he hoped wasn't too far to reach.

He curled his body around Ladybug and angled his back to the ground just as they impacted the earth. The two heroes bounced off the ground, rolling and tumbling through the air, ripping the grass with each new impact. Ultimately the momentum slowed to a stop and Chat Noir found he was laying on his back. He groaned, pain like he'd never felt coursed through his body, throbbing like a pulse, but he couldn't – wouldn't – let that affect him, not yet. He rolled to his side and laid Ladybug in the grass beside him. He hesitantly raised a shaking hand to check for a pulse.

All around him screams from civilians grew louder as a growing crowd rushed to the duo. Everyone who had witnessed the fall swarmed around the teenage heroes. What sounded like hundreds of voices combined into a hum like a beehive on crack. Most voices came from strangers but one voice inparticular he knew well.

"Oh, my god! Ladybug! Chat Noir!" Alya's voice was frantic with worry, her phone forgotten somewhere on the ground. She skidded to a halt and knelt beside the two, her face white as a sheet. Her eyes flitted across both heroes, finally meeting Chat's gaze. Any relief that rose upon seeing he was conscience vanished as she turned her focus to Ladybug.

"Is… is she okay?" Chat asked, barely able to move his own battered limbs to check for farther injury. He wasn't even sure if the pulse he thought he felt was Ladybug's or his own.

Alya started examining Ladybug, carefully moving limbs and joints, checking the suit for rips or blood that might indicate internal injury. Her frantic examination slowed as her hands moved from limb to limb, her fear slowly turned to relief, and her eyes began to water. "She's ok, she-she's ok Chat Noir, she's okay," Alya sobbed, fighting back the enormous wave of relief that threatened to make her a blubbering mess.

"Thank god," Chat said, his body relaxing against the ground as he let out a long breath. His arms wrapped themselves around Ladybug again and pulled her close, holding her body close to his.

"Chat! Y-your hands!" Alya cried, pointing to the claws -or to what _had_ been claws. Black fabric was torn away from the tip of each finger, flesh and blood slowly seeped out. He cautiously examined one hand, turning it around carefully. Yet somehow, he did not feel the level of pain he had expected. He felt pain, his fingers and hands stung like mad, yes, but that was all.

"They will heal," he finally said, chalking it up to the Miraculous' magic.

Beginning to move he struggled to sit up and almost fell back down before a set of arms reached around him and helped steady him, keeping him upright. Turning he saw Nino behind him. When Chat met the teen's eyes, he suddenly looked apologetic.

"Sorry dude! I didn't mean... to..."

"It's fine, thanks," Chat murmured, looking back at Ladybug and his surroundings.

Quite the crowd had appeared around them and he started wondering how he and Ladybug would get away. He sure didn't feel like leaping from building to building at the moment – even if his claws had been there to help him. But then more pressing matters arose.

BEEEP!

The sound came from Ladybugs earrings and what color that remained in his face drained away completely. He had to get her away to safely – secrecy – before time ran out. He glanced at her earrings – only two dots remained.

Alya noticed this as well and she immediately turned to the crowd. "We need to leave!" she shouted.

When well over half the people protested, she spoke up again.

"Is this really how you want to learn her identity? She's protected us for months! It's time we protect her!" Alya yelled.

While this swayed some people, not all seemed to agree.

"Leave!" she screamed.

"And what about you?!" someone called out.

"I'll be leaving too. I'm not finding out this way! I would never do that to Ladybug," Alya said, standing from her spot beside the super heroin.

"Um… here."

Alya turned to see a small girl holding a blanket out to her. It was large, like a picnic blanket.

"Why?" Alya asked.

"To cover her up, so no one sees," the little girl said, handing the blanket to Alya.

"Th-thank you," the brunette said, relief flooded her features.

Behind them Nino had been helping Chat Noir to his feet. "G-get her on my back," Chat directed. Turning around he bent low so that Nino could lift the girl into a piggy back style hold.

"You sure you can do this man? You look beat up," Nino said.

"I don't have a choice," Chat answered. "But thanks for the help guys."

"Here!" Alya called, hurrying over with the blanket. She carefully draped it over Ladybug's form, hiding the girls head and arms from sight, tucking in the blanket everywhere she could so that it wouldn't slip off. What was left dangled down, hiding the girl's legs and feet from sight.

Chat wrapped his tail like belt around both Ladybug and the blanket, one hand supporting the mystery girl on his back.

"You can control that thing?" Alya asked in almost a hysteric screech, seeing the belt move of it's own accord.

"Hehe… more or less," he said before gripping his baton with his free hand.

Another beep sounded and Chat – groaning in pain – took off at a run before he extended the baton and flew away from the crowd.

 **A/N: Hello! I haven't posted a story in years and I promised myself if I ever did post another/new story that it would be completely written before I posted it. So... this story is completely written!  
Look forward to a dozen chapters of Marinette and Adrien goodness! Pre-edited the story was **11,533 words and 30 pages **long, post-editing the story is** 14, 015 words and 34 pages **long. The only thing that will determine posting is that I don't have internet at home.**

 **This is a reveal story, because there are never too many reveals!**

 **I've lost count of the number of reveal stories I've read on here, which then sent me to read Danny Phantom reveal stories and then the awesome Danny Phantom/Supernatural story crossovers. Normally I'm not a crossover fan but I enjoy those way too much!**

 **Does posting this story mean hope for my other stories... I don't know... we will see.**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **6/29/17**

 **8/2/17 Edited**


	2. Chapter 2 Someplace Safe

**Concealment**

Chapter Two

Someplace Safe

POV: Chat Noir

 _Another beep sounded and Chat – groaning in pain – took off at a run before he extended the baton and flew away from the crowd._

"Sorry guys, wish I could thank you properly," he murmured. Respect for his friends had tripled in the last two minutes. That was Alya's chance for a big scoop, yet she had willingly saved Ladybug from exposure. He knew how much she longed to know who Ladybug was. Heck, _he_ longed to know who Ladybug was. But he agreed with Alya. This was not how he wanted it to happen… but… he didn't know any other way to get her to safety.

He leapt from roof to roof, building to building until he was as far away as he felt comfortable with before collapsing. He gazed around and found some air conditioner units setting on the roof of the business he had landed on. Stalking over he crouched behind them, hidden from anyone's view who might be able to see onto the roof.

One final beep and a flash of light told him Ladybug was gone and her civilian form now clung to his back. Still he didn't look back.

A tiny thump did make him look down though.

It was small and red with black spots. The girlish kwami groaned from where she had fallen to the rooftop. Chat bent down, lower, setting the human girl down so she was leaning against the AC unit. He sat down in front of her, his back still to her. Freeing up his hand to lower and pick up the kwami.

"Are…. are you ok?" he asked, gazing at it's big blue eyes, so much like Ladybug herself. She looked up at him and he examined her but he couldn't see any cuts or bruises on the kwami. He wasn't sure how injures passed from host to kwami, as neither he nor Ladybug had ever been so badly injured before.

"I'll be ok," she said weakly. "How is Ladybug?" she asked, gazing around.

"I think she'll be okay, but I don't know for sure. The girl, Alya, from the Ladyblog, checked her over before we had to leave," Chat explained.

"Alya did?" the little kwami sounded worried.

"Yea, but she was the most adamant about getting Ladybug away unseen," he answered. "So, I need to get you two someplace safe… um… what, what's your name?"

"Tikki," she said quietly, curling up in his hand.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Tikki, I just wish it was under different circumstances," he replied.

"Yes, so do I," she agreed.

"Could you tell me how to get to Ladybug's home? There is a chance I won't know who she is by her home alone, and… I could just… leave her there… if you could look after her…" the emotion was evident in his voice. That was the last thing he wanted to do. "I won't go looking for her identity later, Cat's Honor," he continued, trying to lighten the mood.

Tikki looked at him, sadness in her voice, "You would do that for her? No questions asked?"

"I'd do anything for My Lady," he said, his voice cracking. Tikki nodded.

"You really do love her?"

"Of course I do," he cried, looking at the kwami and holding her up closer to his face. His other hand went to rest on Tikki's head, in an attempt to convey his sincerity. Then he saw his claws and pulled his hand away deliberately.

"Will this... will these transfer over to Plagg?" he asked. "Will he be in pain?"

Tikki shook her head.

"Injuries are for the suits," she stated. "We only supply the energy, the suits repair by magic. Any damage they can take, they will, without transferring over to you. But even some injuries can't be prevented. Plagg will be very very tired. Your body will be bruised along with possible damage to your fingertips but I've seen worse on previous Chat Noir's; they will heal quickly with no lasting effects. However, I will say neither of you will be able to transform for a few days maybe even a week," she said tiredly. "It all depends."

"What if there is an attack?" he asked.

"We _can_ force a transformation, but it will be short lived and recovery will take longer if that happens," she sighed. "That's never fun for the kwami though," she closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Tikki," he murmured, holding her gently against his chest. "I never wanted any of us to get hurt so badly."

"You saved my life Chat, and Ladybug's, without you we wouldn't still be here. Please don't apologies," she whispered, patting his hand with her little paw. This only caused tears to leak from Chat's eyes.

"She would have died," he gasped, sobs breaking him down. He held Tikki close, unable to hold the one he really wanted to.

"I've had close shaves before, but Chat and Plagg are always there to save the day. That's what makes Ladybug and Chat Noir such a strong team," the little red kwami said, resting against the crying boy, doing what she could to comfort him.

The sun was beginning to set in the western sky before Chat regained control and was able to calm down; the shock and exhaustion of the day taking its toll on his battered body.

"I need to get you two home," he reasoned when he'd gotten himself under control.

"Okay, I can give you directions," Tikki said, gazing around at the surrounding buildings. After a moment she seemed to find what she needed and pointed to the a bit west of straight north. "Head in that direction until you land on a school's roof. I'll give you the next instructions once we get there."

"Sure," he said. "Can you find a safe place to ride?"

"Yes, I'll be okay," the kwami rose into the air and floated up towards Chat's head before landing on his hair. He felt her climb into a crevice of his black cat ear and couldn't help laughing a little.

"That tickles, Tikki," he said.

"Yea… I knew it would, but it's my favorite place…" she giggled, curling deeper into his hair.

"I take it you've ridden on past Noir's?" he asked.

"A time or two." He could hear the smile in her voice.

"Ok, hold on then," he rose to his feet slowly after picking up his lady, rather awkwardly he might add, before adjusting Ladybug more securely on his back. Looking to the north he took a deep breath before leaping from the rooftop. The short rest had replenished some of his energy but it had also stiffened his aching muscles. His landing was much rougher than usual but with each successive jump he became more fluid. The evening air rushed against his face and ruffled his hair. He could hear and feel the blanket that still covered Ladybug flapping in the wind.

Finally, a building he knew all too well came into view. It was his own school, the very one he started the day Ladybug and he had cleansed their first akuma.

 _Does Ladybug go to my school? Or is this just near her home?_ he wondered before landing on the roof and hiding behind more AC unit's. He glanced towards the ground to be sure no one was around to see him.

"Ok Tikki, where too now?" he asked.

Movement on his head told him the kwami was looking around. He waited, not turning his head in case it made her loose her grip.

"The building at three o'clock, land on the roof top balcony," she instructed before securing her grip once more.

He turned his head, noting the balcony she mentioned. Taking a flying leap, he extended his baton, easily reaching across the street and landing smoothly.

"And next?" he asked, gazing slowing at the surrounding rooftops.

"The latch is unlocked, we can get in from up here," Tikki said, by the movement of his hair he figured she was pointing towards the window that led into the house.

"Wait… Ladybug lives here?"

"Yes, you're about to see her room," the kwami murmured. "With any luck you won't know her," she trailed off.

"Yea…" he said, unprepared for arriving at her home so quickly. Traveling via rooftop does have its perks.

He walked to the door, glancing in he glimpsed a lounge and a desk before he opened the little door.

He jumped down, rather than climbing the ladder, and gazed around a room he had been in twice before, once as Chat and once as Adrien. The pink walls, pink lounge, trap door that led to the lower level, ladder that led to the loft bed, his eyes saw it all but his brain was in a fog. Slowly he walked to the lounge and sat the girl down. He carefully removed her arms from around his neck before he twisted around and gently laid her the rest of the way down. The blanket underneath her, her face and features exposed in the dying rays of sunlight streaming in through the windows.

"Chat! You said you wouldn't! -"

"Marinette…" he breathed, his eyes taking in each detail as if he's never seen them before.

Had he been blind? How had he never noticed? Never seen the similarities? Her hair… her eyes… How? How had he been _so_ _**blind**_?

Had some kind of magic hidden her from him? Had something beyond his control stopped him from seeing what was right in front of him? She had been right there this whole time… How had he _been so **blind**_ …

 **A/N:** **Happy belated Independence Day!**

 **Editing seems to never finish. I'm finally someplace with internet and no distractions so I can re-read and edit, finding mistakes that slipped by the first million times.**

 **Hope you like the chapter! Until next time!**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **7/5/17**

 **8/2/17 edited**


	3. Chapter 3 Head over Heels

**Concealment**

Chapter Three

Head over Heals

POV: Chat Noir

 _"Marinette…" he breathed, his eyes taking in each detail as if he's never seen them before._ _Had some kind of magic hidden her from him? Had something beyond his control stopped him from seeing what was right in front of him? She had been right there this whole time… How had he been so **blind** …_

"Chat…?"

The kwami's question was ignored.

Her dark blue-black hair – always in two pigtails at the base of her neck. Bright blue-bell eyes – for the moment hidden behind long lashes. Freckles normally hidden behind a mask, a small slim yet flexible body. Her kindness, her compassion… her determination. And a stutter he'd never witnessed when Ladybug was present. That only appeared when he was Adrien and she was Marinette.

His hand rose and cupped her cheek, the dried blood forgotten, awe erasing the pain in his muscles. "How did I never… all this time…"

Tikki slowly climbed through his hair and floated, almost falling, from his head down on to the lounge below. The little red creature gazed up at him. "You do know her, don't you? I'm sorry Chat, I really hoped you wouldn't be able to figure out her identity."

"Is it bad that I know now? Haven't other Ladybugs and Chats known the other's identities before? Surely we can't be the first to know each other?" he asked.

"No, you aren't the first. Most find out eventually, none this early though. You two are actually rather young to be chosen, that was one of the reasons I wanted to keep it hidden longer," Tikki said. Chat looked back at Marinette as the kwami floated up near the girl's head; she brushed back her bangs before lying down beside her.

Her movement drew Chat's attention, realization dawning on him. She was a kwami just like Plagg... "You must be hungry. Is there any food in here I can get you? Maybe downstairs if her parents are away?" he gazed around the room.

"There is a cookie jar on the desk," Tikki said, pointing to a white and pink jar.

Chat was reluctant to leave Marinette's side – he had only just found her – but he also understood the kwami's need for food was high; she just didn't complain the way Plagg did.

Chat stood up from his place beside Marinette and headed on the desk. He was reaching into the jar to pull out a few cookies when his eyes found a familiar face staring back at him. Doing a double take his eyes darted from picture to picture. Magazine clippings and articles, to class and modeling photos. His face was plastered across her wall above the desk and beyond… not unlike his small shrine of Ladybug in his own room…

A nervous laugh escaped his lips as he slowly turned away from the wall mural, stunned. But as he headed back to the girls he felt something hit his ears. His gaze was drawn up to a pull string – like the maps they had in their school classroom. Curious – he was a cat after all – he reached up and pulled it down.

What appeared to be a calendar scrolled down in front it's home. On it were things like _holiday_ and _vacation_ , but also _basketball_ … every Wednesday, _fencing_ … every Friday, some days were labeled with _photo shoot_ or _Chinese lesson_.

As Chat's brain caught up with his eyes, which had proceeded to bug out, his cheeks turning a flaming bright red. Either Marinette was _the biggest_ fangirl he's ever met…or was planning the best way to do him in….

"Chat?" Tikki's voice sounded as she looked around.

Chat jumped, almost dripping the cookies. "Oh, sorry," he said. Quickly turning away from the shrine he walked back to the little kwami, handing her a cookie and laying the rest beside her.

"Thanks," she told him, already nibbling on one. She gazed up at him and smiled before her eyes caught sight of the schedule that he had forgotten to put up. Tikki sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry Chat. I know now how much you like her… you truly care for her, " the red little kwami murmured, turning to look at him.

"She… she really likes that Agreste guy, doesn't she?" he asked carefully.

"She does, very much so," Tikki said, gazing at the schedule. "It wasn't always like that. When she first met him, she hated him. He was friends with Chloe, her tormentor, and #1 enemy, well until Hawkmoth."

"What changed?" he asked, remembering how at first Marinette had seemed to hate his guts… the gum incident. _I tried to apologize…_ he thought to himself.

"He apologized for something that happened and opened up to her about his feelings and fears. He gave her his umbrella one rainy day and… well… she's been head over heels for him ever since," Tikki explained. "Alya tries to help her with a stuttering problem she's developed but nothing works, she gets so tongue tied around him. Something I'm sure you never would have guessed possible of your little Ladybug."

"No, that's for sure," he trailed off.

Suddenly Tikki squeaked.

"I _really_ shouldn't have told you that… I'm sorry… this exhaustion is even messing with my brain. I just… I wish she could find it in her heart to like you the way she likes him. But then she might not be able to talk around you and then we'd have an even bigger problem…" Tikki said dryly and Chat wasn't sure but he thought the kwami might be rambling.

"Tikki, you just went from telling me I shouldn't know her identity, to saying we should get together…" Chat told her.

Tikki blinked. Then she sighed, "I did… didn't I? I'm more tired then I realized…" she murmured, putting the cookie down. "I should sleep. And you need to rest as well," she said, looking up at Chat.

He didn't respond right away. He wasn't ready to leave his Lady just yet, he longed to prolong his exit. And one thing was still bugging him.

"Tikki, is there a magic that hid Marinette's identity from me? She looks so much like Ladybug it's ridiculous that I didn't notice before. And Alya hasn't figured it out either? How is that possible?"

"There is a magic that suppresses recognition within the suits but it's the person themselves that hide their identity the most. Their personalities', Marinette can be far more confident behind the mask. It helps hide her identity just as I'm sure whoever you are, Chat, you might not be the flirty, pun-loving cat she knows you as. Perhaps _your_ identity is hidden even better then hers was," Tikki explained.

"I see, that's… good to know…" he trailed off.

"Are you going to tell her who you are?" she asked.

"Not yet… I just need all this to sink in. I must make sure she's okay, that you and Plagg are okay as well. We can deal with the identity crisis after we are back to 100%," he explained.

"I understand. But I can't stop her from knowing you figured it out," Tikki said. "I showed you her home and, if I'm not mistaken, you've met her as Marinette before while you've been Chat Noir."

"Yea… I have," he said, smiling.

He gazed back at the schedule before returning it back to its proper place. He then gazed up at her loft bed, contemplating what to do next. Deciding, he leapt up to the bed and pulled the covers back.

"What are you doing Chat?" Tikki asked as Chat jumped back down.

"She will be more comfortable in her bed," he said. He carefully removed her shoes, purse and jacket before picking her up bridal style and carrying her up the ladder to the bed. Tikki rode along on his shoulder before floating over to a small bed-like-pillow beside Marinette. Chat vanished for a moment, returning with more cookies for Tikki.

"Rest up Tikki, I'm not sure when I'll see you again…" he said in farewell. "Take care of her."

"Take care of yourself Chat, and Plagg too," Tikki replied through a yawn. "Tell him I say 'hi', would you?"

"Of course, good bye, Tikki."

"Good bye, Chat," the kwami murmured, drifting off to sleep beside her chosen. With one last glance at Marinette, Chat descended the ladder and walked to the balcony door.

So much had happened in such a short time. So many realizations – puzzle pieces falling into place. He knew it would take a few days to let it all sink in, and for him to decide what to do. But he was looking forward to it, he was happy. Before leaving, he glanced up at the loft one last time. Marinette stirred quietly in her sleep, only to roll over to her side.

"Good night, M'lady. And sleep well, my princess," he whispered.

In a flash of black leather Chat Noir was gone. Leaping over the roof tops, flying through the chilly night air. One thought raced through his mind and he just couldn't seem to stop smiling.

 _Ladybug, His Lady, and his princess…_

 _Loved him_.

 **A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this third installment of Concealment! I know I sorta rearranged/redesigned Marinette's bedroom but let's pretend I didn't and move on like nothing is wrong ^.^**

 **Up next we get to see Plagg! (=^.^=) and see how he faired in the fight!**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **7/9/17**

 **8/2/17 Edited**


	4. Chapter 4 One Long Day

**Concealment**

Chapter Four

One Long Day

POV: Chat Noir

 _In a flash of black leather Chat Noir was gone. Leaping over the roof tops, flying through the chilly night air. One thought raced through his mind and he just couldn't seem to stop smiling._ _Ladybug, His Lady, and his princess…_ _Loved him._

"Camembert!" the black kwami moaned pitifully the second Chat released his transformation. The little cat like creature fell into Adrien's hand, moaning and groaning.

"Yea, yea," Adrien said, but he did hurry to the little fridge he now kept in his room, and pulled from it two rounds of the stinky old cheese. "Eat up buddy," he said, handing a piece to Plagg.

"Oh, my precious Camembert!" the little cat cried only once, before wolfing down slice after slice. Normally his loud eating and exclamations of how wonderful the cheese was was heard between each slice but not tonight. Tonight, he had nearly finished both rounds before he spoke up, and it wasn't even about the cheese.

"So, you met Tikki?" he asked before the thirteenth slice vanished into his mouth.

"Yea, I did. Oh, she says 'hi'," Adrien replied, having settled down on the couch beside Plagg where he proceeded to examine his fingernails.

"Really? Cool! It's been decades since we've seen each other," Plagg murmured quietly. There was a short pause in his eating that Adrien guessed held more emotion than Plagg let on. Then the cat was wolfing down slice number fourteen.

"Decades?" Adrien asked, this took his attention away from his damaged nails – honestly, they weren't as bad as he imagined. But he just knew his photographer would start crying the second he saw them. "Why is that?"

"Well we haven't been active for a couple hundred years, I'd say," the kwami explained, "Well… maybe more like 150? I don't know. I never paid attention to what year it was," Plagg said. "That's the life of a kwami."

"It sounds depressing… and lonely."

"Nah, it's just like taking a really long nap – it's over before you realize just how much time has passed since you were awake," Plagg answered, popping number sixteen in and reaching for number seventeen. When he didn't find the cheese, his temporarily absent whining returned, even worse than before.

"Okay, Okay, more cheese," Adrien relented, rising from the couch and eventually returning with three rounds. "Where does it all go?" he asked, not expecting an answer.

Instead Adrien sat beside the kwami, quietly thinking over… well, everything. He leaned back against the couch, looking out his window wall as the last rays of sun gave up their fight and only inky black remained over Paris. His mind's eye drifted to a blue-black haired girl he felt he'd never meet before even though they had been classmates all year.

 _She stutters because she likes me?_ he thought, gazing back to every encounter he could remember…

Her hiding behind the bench while he looked at her drawings – Mr. Pigeon – Her attempts (and fails) at sentence structure when he held Alex's watch – Timebreaker – When he tried to ask her about Chat Noir after the Evillustrator – Her dumbfounded expression while they watched _The Mime_ play at the Eiffel Tower. And more recently, Ladybug's reactions to him as Adrien – unable to say a solid sentence when she thought he was in the shower – Simon Says – and lastly – Volpina – her utter terror at Illusion Adrien dangling from Volpina's hands. She had even reached to remove her ear rings… to give up her Miraculous just to save him.

It all made sense. She wasn't your typical fan girl. She wasn't out going about it, even though he knew she could be out going – he spied on her date with the Evillustrator. Or standing up to Chloe for her Great Uncle – Kung Food – And going out for class representative – Darkblade – She had wit, courage, compassion, it just all kind of… fell apart when she was focused on Adrien.

The thought made him laugh.

"What's so funny?" Plagg asked, his belly round and bulging, five empty rounds of cheese littered around him.

"All this time. She's been right in front of me since the beginning, Plagg," he murmured.

"Who has?"

"Ladybug, _Marinette_."

"What?!" Plagg screamed, zooming up to float in front of his chosen's face. "You found out her identity!?"

"Um… yea… didn't you see that?" Adrien asked, pushing the kwami away from his face far enough to have him in focus.

"Of course not! After all that trouble?" Plagg scoffed. "I was in and out of it until you detransformed. I know you carried her away on your back, I know you met Tikki and she agreed to lead you to Ladybug's house – but that's pretty much it. I didn't know Tikki let you see her."

"She didn't need to. Once we got in her room I knew who it was that clung to my back. I'd been in there before after all," Adrien explained.

"I bet Tikki was mad," Plagg chuckled.

"A little, but I think she's okay with it now. Though…" Adrien thought aloud. "It will depend on how Marinette handles her crush having a crush on her alter-ego…"

"Marinette? The girl who sits behind us?"

"Yea."

"Wow…should have put that together ages ago, oh well," he said, then paused, realizing what it was he had just heard. "Her crush? So, the girl likes you too?" he floated down to sit on Adrien's knee.

"Um… yea… quite a bit apparently…"

"Oh?"

"Yea…"

"Spill."

"Let's just say… Her obsession outshines my obsession with Ladybug," Adrien explained, blushing slightly. "Though that might only be because she knows who I am. I never knew Ladybug's identity to even have the chance to know her yearly schedule…"

"Yearly?"

"Yea..."

"Oh boy, you two _are_ made for each other," Plagg said though a yawn.

Adrien blushed even harder at Plagg's statement. "Maybe…" then he sighed. " _If_ she can ever learn to speak two words to me."

"She did okay during the Kung Food incident."

"Yea, but that wasn't us being alone together," Adrien said, picturing the two of them at the park… or sitting on a beam on the Eiffel Tower.

"Find, be pessimistic. I'm trying to help you out kid," Plagg grumbled.

"Sorry Plagg," he patted the kwami's head. "Thanks buddy."

"Yea, yea, but you'd better get to bed. You still have school tomorrow and I'm about ready to hibernate," he yawned again.

"Plagg?" Adrien asked slowly. "Are you feeling ok?"

"I'll be fine, I'd be worse off if you had used your cataclysm. Tikki will take longer to recover then me," Plagg replied, still yawning and his eyelids drooped down low.

"Let's get you to bed." Adrien scooped up the little black cat and carried him over to his bed. Leaving him to snooze on a pillow, comfier then the trashcan by far, Adrien headed to the bathroom for a shower. _Hopefully that will help the muscles,_ he thought, finding moving difficult after each period of rest. He let steam from the hot tap fill the room. Breathing deeply, he finally started to relax.

It had been one long day.

 **A/N: Yah! Another chapter! Never guessed when I was writing this chapter that by the time I posted it that my own fingernails would be in about the same shape that Adrien's are. Dumb acrylic powder nails things. Four times in my life I've gotten my nails done and this killed my nails... ouch!**

 **Anyway, hope you all liked the chapter, don't forget to drop a review, let me know what you thought. Until next time!**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **7/15/17**


	5. Chapter 5 I'm Sorry

**Concealment**

Chapter Five

I'm Sorry

POV: Marinette

 _"Let's get you to bed." Adrien scooped up the little black cat and carried him over to his bed. Leaving him to snooze on a pillow, comfier then the trashcan by far, Adrien headed to the bathroom for a shower. Hopefully that will help the muscles, he thought, finding moving difficult after each period of rest. He let steam from the hot tap fill the room. Breathing deeply, he finally started to relax._

 _It had been one long day._

Marinette had never felt so worn out in her life.

"I feel like I was put through the washing machine owned by a giant," she mumbled. "Or went white water rafting without the raft…."

"Pretty close to it," Tikki's voice sounded from beside her.

Opening her eyes Marinette saw the little kwami nibbling on a cookie at the edge of her bed.

"Morning Tikki," she murmured – a yawn stopping her mid-way. "What time is it?" she asked looking around for her phone.

"Two hours before school starts, I didn't think you'd wake up this early," Tikki said, finishing off her cookie and floating over to Marinette.

"How come? I know I'm not an early riser or anything…" Marinette asked, confused.

"Marinette, don't you remember yesterday? The Akuma?" Tikki asked, slightly worried.

"Akuma? Yesterday…" Marinette paused. Thinking back, she recalled leaving school and walking the city with Alya when fire suddenly erupted from a side street. "That's right – Dragonfire," she murmured – shivering – the battle coming back to her, the hits and burns – flying up in the air, using a roll of steel string to finally defeat the beast and returning it back into a normal human man.

"But… how did I get home?" she couldn't remember the traditional 'Pound it!' with Chat Noir, or dashing away from Alya with a wave, not even coming home and going to bed. "What happened, Tikki?"

"You passed out… Chat caught you as you fell but both of you were badly hurt by then, and the fall… that was worse than all the injures combined," Tikki explained. "He managed to save our lives though, and get you away from the public eye before the Transformation fell away."

"Before? But… does that mean… Chat…"

"He knows who you are," Tikki whispered, nodding. "He was just going to drop you off here and leave without looking but it was like he recognized the room instantly, he knew who you would be before he even turned around. I should have remembered he's been in your room before, that he might realize – that he might remember who lived here, but in my exhausted state I wasn't thinking clearly. I'm so sorry, Marinette," Tikki said, placing a paw on Marinette's cheek.

The girl was quiet as she let the news sink in. She lay staring at the ceiling, lost in thought for a few long moments before she answered Tikki's announcement. "Nothing we can do about that now," she sighed. "If you hadn't told him where I live… I might have ended up spending the night on some random roof top – or at his place – wherever that is – wait… – did you find out who Chat is?"

"No, he didn't release his transformation – which is good because he wouldn't have been able to transform again to get home – or tell me his identity. But he said he would tell you after we are all recovered. Chat Noir really does care about you Marinette, quite a bit too," Tikki said, a smile on her little red face.

"I know he does…" Marinette sighed. Pulling the covers away and sitting up. "Oh Ouch!" she groaned, stiff as a board and in pain to boot. "So not fun! I've never hurt so much before!"

"I'm sorry, Marinette," Tikki whispered again, tears springing up in her blue eyes.

"Oh, no! Tikki! Don't…. Don't blame yourself…" Marinette told her. Scooping up the little kwami she held her close to her heart. "Don't you say sorry for anything. If I hurt this much, it means I was hurt far more yesterday and you protected me from that pain! I should be thanking you! You and Chat. You saved my life yesterday. I'm sure of it." Marinette's little speech ended in a whisper. She could still feel the little kwami shaking as she cried. Marinette held her close, letter Tikki cry out all her worry as the sun rose up over the horizon.

When Tikki did pull away from Marinette's grasp tears still cling to her eyes but a small smile graced her lips." I should let you get ready for school Marinette. And thank you, for everything."

The kwami floated up, giving Marinette a kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you Tikki, and as a special treat I'll make my special cookies tonight! A whole batch, just for you!"

Tikki's eyes lit up and a giggle escaped her lips. "Yeah!" she cried, flying over to hug Marionette's cheek.

"I love you, Tikki."

"I love you too, Marinette."

 **A/N A short chapter but Marinette was finally awake to say something! . I updated the summary of the story. We have entered day two in the story and next time Adrien and Marinette get to see each other for the first time! (Stay cool. It's 100* here...)**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **7/?/17**


	6. Chapter 6 Good Morning

**Concealment**

Chapter Six

Good Morning

POV: Marinette

 _"Thank you Tikki, and as a special treat I'll make my special cookies tonight! A whole batch, just for you!"_ _Tikki's eyes lit up and a giggle escaped her lips. "Yeah!" she cried, flying over to hug Marionette's cheek._ _"I love you, Tikki."_ _"I love you too, Marinette."_

A hot shower and a warm breakfast later Marinette was heading over to her school, although, rather slowly. She brushed off the stiff muscles as too much PE the day before to her mother but she wasn't sure yet how to explain it to Alya. Thankfully the small cuts and not so small bruises were easily covered by her normal everyday clothes, for that she was lucky. She couldn't imagine trying to explain them to her mother, or to Alya for that matter.

She had – yet again – vanished when an akuma appeared _and_ never returned – _and_ her phone had died overnight so that was home charging. She was sure to get an earful from Alya the moment she entered their classroom. She hadn't even had a chance to look at any Ladyblog footage that might show her what happened the day before. Surely that video was up and streaming…

Groaning, she had started the climb up the front steps when a shout froze her in her tracks.

"Hey, good morning Marinette!"

 _OMG! OMG! OMG! Adrien!_ Turning around slowly she watched the boy hurrying over to her as his car pulled away. He also seemed to be climbing the stairs with difficulty. Once he was even with her he turned to her with a bright smile.

"How are you doing?" he asked, examining her face.

"F-F-Fine!" she squeaked out in shock. His face seemed to fall just a hair before brightening up again, a touch of sadness still clinging to his eyes.

"So, did you see the footage Alya put on her Ladyblog? Pretty intense, right?" he asked as the two started up the stairs and slowly walked into the school together.

"No, I… didn't get the chance. I was…working on a project!" she quickly fabricated. "And my phone died temporarily too. Was it that good?"

"It was amazing, but you'll have to see for yourself. I don't want to spoil the ending!" he said, laughing and giving her a wink.

Startled into a daze, Marinette followed Adrien like a zombie. They were heading towards the flight of stairs to the upper level when an annoyingly shrill voice hit their ears. Effectively ending Marinette's zombie walk.

"Adrikins! Good morning!" Chloe had just entered through the front doors some distance behind Marinette and Adrien.

"Oh…um, morning Chloe…" Adrien said, almost as an afterthought, he waved at her but gave her no more attention. Instead he turned back to Marinette, continuing their conversation as the two started up the stairs. Marinette trying to hide how much it made her muscles ache. She was secretly glad Adrien was moving slowly, it gave her an excuse to take her time. "I'm sure Alya won't let you go without seeing it for much longer. Most views ever I think," he explained, clearly a devoted follower of the Ladyblog.

"Re-Really? W-wow, that's so cool," she stammered, shocked (and thrilled) that he was paying attention to her and ignoring Chloe.

"Adrikins! Is that any way to greet your _best friend?_ " Chloe screeched, running to the stairs. "Why are you talking to her anyway? When you could be talking to me!"

Adrien paused at the platform situated halfway up the flight of stairs. "We're talking about the Ladyblog video, Chloe."

"Oh! I know right! Crazy scary!" Chloe gasped dramatically, finally reaching the two on the platform. "I was _so_ worried!"

"Don't give away the ending Chloe, Marinette hadn't seen it yet," Adrien said, taking a step towards Marinette and seeming to reach for her hand. "Come on-"

"Who cares if she had or hasn't, Adrikins!" Chloe cried, grabbing Adrien's extended hand and all but shoving Marinette out of the way.

Stiff, sore and bruised, Marinette was unable to keep her balance; combine that with her usual clumsiness and she started falling towards the lower section of stairs. With cat like reflexes Adrien pushed Chloe quickly aside and grabbed Marinette around the waist, carefully returning her to a standing position. He grunted, almost painfully, from the effort of it but his grip on her waist was light after the initial save. He put little pressure on holding her up once she was righted, but he did keep his arms around her as he turned back to Chloe, angry. "Hey, careful! Really Chloe, you didn't need to push her! You could have seriously hurt Marinette!"

"What?" Chloe goffed, "Adrikins?"

"And stop with the 'Adrikins' would you?" he said, then turned his back to Chloe, his full attention on Marinette. He released her then, once he was sure she could stand on her own. "Come on Marinette, I'm sure Alya is dying to show you her video."

"R-Right…" Marinette stuttered again, shocked she could even say one word after having Adrien save her like that. _He held me!_ Sore muscles temporarily forgotten, until the reached the first step that is…

As the two continued up the stairs Chloe was left a stuttering mess on the platform, gapping after them in utter disbelief.

"Adrikins!" she cried again.

Adrien ignored her completely this time.

 **A/N: I enjoyed telling Chloe off... hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Hey! It's my birthday! yeah!**

 **Thanks for reading, see you in the next chapter.**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **7/25/17**


	7. Chapter 7 Brain Overload

**Concealment**

Chapter Seven

Brain Overload

POV: Adrien

 _As the two continued up the stairs Chloe was left a stuttering mess on the platform, gapping after them in utter disbelief._ _"Adrikins!" she cried again._ _Adrien ignored her completely this time._

"Marinette! You haven't answered a single text since yesterday! Where have you been girl!?" Alya cried the second she saw Marinette enter the classroom.

"S-sorry Alya… my-my phone was dead," Marinette murmured, hanging her head.

"You bet–," Alya paused when she caught sight of Adrien, walking in right behind her, as if they had been walking in _together_.

"Hey, Alya, Marinette missed yesterday's show down, want to show her your video?" he asked. Immediately it had the reaction he wanted: Alya shrieked in glee. "You haven't seen it yet! Oh, come here girl! You've _got_ to see this one!"

Adrien watched from his seat, glad to sit down, as Marinette joined Alya at the desk behind them. Alya was already pulling up her blog on her phone.

"This is wicked cool girl!" Alya said. "I can't believe you missed it!" Nino and Adrien both turned to listen as Alya hit play on the video. The blogger's bubbly voice came over loud and clear as the video started off; her tone for cheerier than one should be when their city is being attacked by a magical monster.

" _Hey everyone, Ayla here at the scene of yet another Akuma battle and WOW! Talk about heating things up!"_ Adrien resisted his smirk at Alya's pun. _"I don't know why the dragonfly is breathing fire or what made this guy so mad but he is putting up one hell of a fight."_

Cries of shock, monster screaming, Alya continued the play by play of the batter for her viewers. Adrien recognized the point when the dragonfly began to gain height. He discretely shifted his focus to Marinette.

She watched the video with wide eyes. The wire that had appeared in Ladybugs hand, Adrien figured Marinette was reliving the fight as she watched it unfold again. Feeling the yoyo spinning through the air, grabbing the butterfly that had been freed from the victim, releasing it from the evil aura. All this happening in midair, hundreds of feet above the ground with no way to land.

Adrien pictured Ladybug throwing the wire into the air and releasing hundreds of real ladybugs that would repair all the damage the akuma had caused, returning victims to safety, all save Ladybug and himself. That's when her eyes went wide. Adrien knew the video too well to not picture his black form flying forward and catching Ladybug, leaping from building to building, trying to slow their momentum. Then – accompanied by many _many_ screams – Chat and Ladybug crashed to the ground, rolling to a stop.

" _Ladybug!"_ Alya's voice cried as she dropped her phone to the ground, that's when the video cut off.

"Well? Way crazy, right?!" Alya asked, gazing at Marinette for her reaction.

"But – but what happened! Are they ok? How'd they survive that! What about –?" Marinette broke off as Alya shushed her. The brunette clicked on her phone one more time.

" _Hey all, Alya again, here to tell you all is okay! Due to… technical… difficulties I was unable to film the recovery of Ladybug and Chat Noir but I want to tell you all that they are okay. After a quick rest Chat left the scene relatively unharmed – aside from major claw damage – with the still unconscious Ladybug on his back. But I assure you she will be fine; I examined her myself and – while quite a bit beat up – she is okay! Talk about a crazy fight! Hope no akuma's show up – those two deserve a vacation! Alya out!"_ The cell phone went quiet, and Marinette sat in shock.

"You examined m-… Ladybug yourself?" she finally asked after finding her voice. "And what do you mean about Chat's claws? Is he okay?"

"His claws were a mangled mess and he was pretty banged up too but Ladybug looked in worse shape," Alya replied.

"It's a good thing Chat only has claws when he's Chat. I can't imagine the pain they'd be if they were real. But, no claws as a civilian, no wounds," Adrien said, shrugging. It was basically the truth, the damage he had couldn't really be classified as wounds. "Don't you think?" he asked Alya.

"Adrien makes a good point," Alya nodded. "I never thought about that. Huh, man those Miraculous of theirs' must be so awesome. Wonder how they got them…"

"The-what?" Marinette stuttered.

"Miraculous – the things hawkmoth's victims keep screaming at the two to give up. Am I the only one who pays attention?" Alya cried, exasperated.

"Oh right, _The Earrings of the Ladybug and the Ring of the Black Cat!_ " Adrien said solemnly, trying to sound like he was acting in a movie. This made Alya and Nino laugh.

"Seriously, who would think a ladybug had earrings! Odd item to pick if you ask me," Nino said.

"Well I don't see a cat walking around wearing a ring on its claw too often either," Adrien laughed.

"So true," Nino agreed.

Their little group of four laughed at that.

Adrien risked a glance at Marinette to see her relaxed, laughing with the rest of them. He had noticed her stiffened when Alya mentioned the Miraculous. The word wasn't widely used but he knew enough akumatized victims had said it for the blogger to use the term.

"So how do you think they got them?" Alya asked.

"Maybe they were handed down to them by their parents?" Nino whispered, acting like it was Halloween and talking in secretive voice. "Like a dark and ancient family secret."

Adrien gave him a small laugh for his effort but both girls ignored the haunted sounding Nino and kept talking.

"Or maybe they stumbled upon them in an old antique shop," Alya said, "Or maybe an ancient spirit bestowed the gifts to them thinking they were the only two who were worthy of holding them!" This time it was Alya that adopted the haunted voice as she spoke.

The group broke out laughing again. When it settled back down Marinette was the one who spoke up. "Do you think there are more?" she wondered.

"More what?" Alya asked.

"Miraculous. Ladybug said Hawkmoth has one but he is using it for evil. Surely these three items aren't all in Paris by coincidence. Ladybug and Chat Noir appeared the very day Hawkmoth did… it just seems… odd," she murmured.

"So maybe the Earrings and Ring were given to them _because_ Hawkmoth appeared?" Adrien speculated. "That puts the parent idea on the 'no' list."

"And if Hawkmoth is using his item for evil… it must mean that it can be used for good as well – they are all 'Miraculous' so maybe they were… 'created' to be used for good? But then why create something so powerful if there was nothing it was truly needed for? Surely the first 'Hawkmoth' wasn't evil… So what was there to fight?" Marinette wondered.

"Now you're just making my brain hurt," Alya laughed, shaking her head.

 **A/N: Hey all, sorry for the wait, I missed my last chance to update when I was at my sissy's place. I've started re-editing the posted chapters but I'm cut short after getting to chapter three. Hopefully tomorrow I can get back here to edit with no distractions. (maybe even give you another chapter if I feel inclined to!)**

 **PS: this will not turn into a origin of the miraculous story, the talk they had is just one I've had with a friend of mine. (Hi Lita!) and yes I successfully got her hooked on the bug and cat show.**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **8/3/17**


	8. Chapter 8 Blind

**Concealment**

Chapter Eight

Blind a.k.a. Not a Clue to be Found

POV: Marinette

 _"Now you're just making my brain hurt," Alya laughed, shaking her head._

The discussion ended there as the teacher called the room to attention. When she started taking roll call Marinette's brain drifted to her conversation with Tikki about Chat Noir, and the fact that he now knew she was Ladybug.

" _He seemed to instantly recognize the room."_ Had he come to the house as a civilian? To her room? _"He's been in there before,"_ but Tikki meant as Chat Noir, was that all it took? He hadn't recognized her as Marinette at the underground station… she'd thought, but… maybe he was faking that? _"He knew who you would be before he even turned around."_ How well would he need to know her home and room to know that…? Acquaintances? Friend? Did he only recognize the room from his brief moments there when Alya had been turned back into LadyWiFi? Surely he hadn't examined the room very much at that moment?

So… say that his time as Chat Noir was his only time in her room. He must have known her as Marinette better or just remembered her address from the two times he'd been to her place before…so maybe he knew her better as a civilian?

Could he be a regular customer at the bakery? Or did she go to school with him? Maybe he just knew her from common hangouts?

And if _he_ knew _her_ so well, surely _she_ knew _him_ too… so what _did_ she know about Chat?

 _Well my hair doesn't change when I transform so his probably doesn't either, his eyes must at least change a little, but the rest should be roughly the same. So that means Chat's civilian form has longish blond hair, green eyes, and is slightly taller than me with a slim built figure. He's goofy enough to be my age so perhaps he is a classmate?_

Outside of her thoughts the teacher had started the history lesson and everyone was pulling out their books. Marinette took this time to glance around at her classmates. Not a single boy in her class had Chat's hair color so maybe he was in a different class. There was Phil in Class 1B with blond hair….it was a bit too long though. _Derik? No, too tall._ Racking her brain she tried to think of other boys in school with blond hair. _I should check last years' yearbook when I get home – good thing they sprung for color pictures._

Clouds drifted away from the sun at that moment, casting light into the room. Marinette gazed in wonder and adoration as Adrien's hair lit up like the sun. So bright, so gorgeous; no other boy had sunshine hair like Adrien. She signed. Which earned her a poke in the ribs from Alya.

Stifling a moan of pain Marinette rushed to begin taking notes – already missing the topic of today's class. But her mind didn't stay focused on whatever old civilization the teacher was talking about. It drifted back to Chat almost at once. Her pencil stilled on the page as she continued her thought process.

 _So green eyes_ , she knew she didn't know any guy in school well enough to know his eye color so that would have to be another yearbook check.

Now Adrien was fiddling with his pen. When it slipped from his grip and rolled to the floor he bent down to grab it, turning sidewise in his seat. That's when his eyes meet Marinette's. Emerald met Bluebell as Marinette felt her cheeks heat up. Adrien smiled at her and turned back to the front. Marinette sighed again as Alya facepalmed.

 _Right! Of course! Class!_ Marinette hurried to copy what was written on the board, something about the 1400's in France but it only held her attention until she had completed her task. Her mind drifted right back to Chat.

 _So maybe if Chat Noir is so in love with Ladybug he will approach me more then he normally does when we are civilians. Maybe he is in school now, waiting for a break or for lunch to come see me and talk to me. He probably wants to know how I am feeling after a night's rest._

But no new boys had approached her today. Nothing had seemed off about anyone she knew or didn't know from her school.

Suddenly a ball of paper rolled across the desk in front of Adrien. It caught the attention of both Marinette's and Adrien's tables occupants and made four pairs of eyes turn to see Chloe winking at Adrien.

Marinette saw his shoulders slump as he reached for the note. After opening it his shoulders slumped even farther, but Marinette would bet only she could tell that. He scribbled something rather quickly and balled up the paper again. The four of them waited, Ms. Bustier had just returned focus to the class rather than the board. So the class continued to scribble down dates and names of people long dead as she continued her lector. Finally, she returned to the board and Adrien could pass the note back to Chloe without getting caught.

Chloe ripped it open greedily to read his reply. Then a gasp of horror filled the room. Clearly she had not expected whatever he had written, or just not liked it, or both… Marinette guessed it was both.

"Chloe, please keep it down," Ms. Bustier said turning to the class. Chloe glared at her then at Adrien and Marinette's tables before thoroughly ignoring both. Which all in all was not a bad thing.

(Baby Quinn Lee is born! I'm an Auntie!) Mrs. Bustier went back to the board to continue writing when Marinette found a note being slid _her_ way by Alya.

 _ **Don't gasp like Chloe did.**_

 _ **Chloe: Want to join me for a private lunch Adrikins?**_

 _ **Adrien: I'm eating with Nino and the girls.**_

Marinette's eyes bugged out. Adrien! Eating with them! But he always went home for lunch!

 _ **Me: he's got a thing for you, girl!**_ Alya had written at the bottom. Marinette blushed red and gave her BFF a giddy smile.

Her friend proceeded to shake her head in mild disbelief, however she couldn't keep the smile from creeping onto her face at Marinette's reaction.

Adrien. Eating lunch with her! It was like a dream come true! This could lead to her wedding, children and that cute hamster she's always loved!

Alya watched in mild enjoyment as Marinette's eyes went out of focus. She slid Marinette another note, successfully wiping the silly grin from the girl's face.

 _ **Don't get too far ahead of yourself. It's only lunch (for now). What do you think changed? He's never stayed, even when Nino asks him to.**_

Which was true… Nino had been inviting Adrien to lunch at least four times a week since school began and each time Adrien turned him down.

 _ **Don't know, he was pretty keen to talk about the video you posted.**_ Marinette replied after her embarrassment subsided and Ms. Bustier had turned her back.

 _ **Doesn't he have a little crush on Ladybug?**_ Alya replied the next time Ms. Bustier wasn't watching the class.

 _Adrien! A crush on Ladybug! On me!_

 _ **I don't know…maybe?**_ Marinette wrote in awe.

 _ **Or it was just a way to talk to YOU.**_ Alya sent back.

The note did it's job. Marinette was blushing a brilliant tomato red.

Adrien wanting to talk with her? Maybe get to know her better… Maybe learn if she liked him? She could faint! But still… she couldn't come up with a _single guy_ she could think of that might be Chat Noir…

 **A/N: This was one of my more favorite chapters, more of a 'how many different ways can Marinette not figure out Adrien is Chat' chapter.**

 **AAAAANNND! I was typing this chapter up while waiting for my first niece to be born. I was able to type up about half this story while waiting at the hospital. Said niece is now two months old! (I wrote this story on paper and had to then type it all up) I started typing about five in the evening, she was born 13 minutes before midnight! Healthy and happy Quinny!**

 **Next chapter is lunch with the boys! See you soon!**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **8/7/17**


	9. Chapter 9 Lunch with Friends

**Concealment**

Chapter Nine

Lunch with Friends

POV: Marinette

 _The note did it's job. Marinette was blushing a brilliant tomato red._ _Adrien wanting to talk with her? Maybe get to know her better… Maybe learn if she liked him? She could faint! But still… she couldn't come up with a single guy she could think of that might be Chat Noir…_

Setting Chat Noir's identity aside for the time being Marinette did her best to focus on class – which failed miserably since _all_ her brain could think of was lunch with Adrien.

 _This could be the start of the rest of our lives together,_ she thought dreamily as the minutes till lunch ticked away.

When the bell rang out, everyone rose from their tables and chatter began breaking out.

"Adrikins, eat lunch with me! Not _them_ ," Chloe voice turned from sugar to venom at the end of her statement.

"You know Chloe, maybe I'd want to hang out with you if you learned to be nice and respectful everyone else." Adrien said, a hard look in his eyes as he looked at Chloe. "You could have seriously hurt Marinette earlier. And I'm not sure I can be friends with someone as self-centered at you are." Adrien had turned to look at Marinette when he mentioned her.

Marinette could see the pain in his eyes as he told his first friend that their friendship was over. She couldn't say she was shocked by it though. Back when Kung Food appeared Adrien had told her off then also; just not so directly. Adrien turned to his three real friends.

"Lunch in the park guys? The sun is shining too brightly to ignore," the blond-haired model suggested.

"You know it dude! Let's go!" Nino shouted, grabbing his items in a hurry and headed towards the door.

Stumbling a little – because she is Marinette after all – Marinette gathered her bags and followed them out.

POV: Adrien

Adrien glanced at Marinette as he walked with them to the park. He wanted to offer to carry her bag but his own body needed rest too – and the offer might be a bit too out of the blue for her to handle yet. He couldn't say he wasn't disappointed that she had stuttered when he greeted her this morning; but she had lost her stutter when talking about Ladybug and Chat Noir. _Hopefully with more conversations, she will lose her nervousness around me,_ he thought.

"Let's sit under the big oak here," Nino suggested, heading towards the tree in question.

"Oh… I was hoping to sit in the sun… It's such a nice day after all… It just makes me want to stretch out and soak up all the sunshine!" Adrien said.

"You sound like a cat," Alya burst out laughing at his statement.

Blushing a little Adrien had to admit his comment sounded weird but it was more for Marinette's benefit. He couldn't deny that he was hoping to help her figure out Chat's identity – or at least make her suspicious before he came out of the blue with the announcement. Whenever they could meet up again.

"Fine, _you_ can sit in the sun, but _I'm_ sitting in the shade," Nino said, plopping down at the edge of the tree's shadow.

Adrien was happy to drop his bag – his back and shoulders screaming – and he didn't fail to notice Marinette's wince as she set her own bag down. He was happy to notice that she chose to sit in the sun light with him. Alya took a spot beside Nino in the shade. Adrien couldn't lie, the sun did feel good on his aching muscles.

"Yeah! Lunch with Adrien!" Nino shouted to the sky as he pulled out a homemade lunch. Alya giggled and gave Marinette a knowing look. This caused Adrien to glance at Marinette which made the girl blush. _Have I always had this effect on her? How did I not notice it before? Was it maybe the concealment or was I just blind?_ Adrien smiled at her, making her blush even more.

The four settled into their lunches, idle gossip starting up about classmates, parents and the latest akuma battle. As the lunch time passed Adrien watched Marinette as closely as he dared and he couldn't help but wonder how he ever missed Marinette's Ladybug qualities. Looks aside – because that was just too painful to think about – everything about her – when she got talking – was _Ladybug_.

She spoke with confidence – until she looked at Adrien.

She pointed out details they had missed – particularly about Chat Noir.

She even started groaning after Adrien's third cat pun. (He internally fist pumped 'YES!') – if anything screamed Ladybug it was her groaning at a pun!

They talked about the akuma from the day before, about Ivan and Mylene as a couple – reminiscing about the first akuma attack, about Mylene's akumatized form and Ladybugs band singing 'Smelly wolf'. Adrien succeeded at making Marinette turn redder then her suit when he complimented Ladybug's voice.

"How do you know that Adrien?" Alya asked. "You were in a goo pod."

"Huh? Oh, we could still hear you all; not perfectly but from what I could tell it was good…" he said nervously. "Right Marinette?"

The girl in red flushed even worse but nodded absently, Adrien laughed.

"I bet Chat can't sing – he only _yowls_ ," Adrien punned. It succeeded in breaking Marinette out of her state of shock, even if only to have her lips thin in distaste.

"Dude, what's with the cat puns!" Nino said laughing. He proceeded to punch Adrien on the arm. Unfortunately, Adrien was not prepared for the hit, and what was meant to be a friendly hit had him trying and unable to stifle a gasp of pain, which ended in a groan as he clasped the offended area with his hand.

"Ow…," he mumbled, eyes shut as the pain subsided.

"Wow dude, sorry, are you hurt or something?" Nino asked.

"Just a bit sore… this last fencing competition was a bit too demanding yesterday…," he fabricated.

"Sad, sorry dude. If I'd have known…," Nino said, a worried and apologetic look on his face.

"No worries, I should have mentioned it. I'll recover in a few days," Adrien mentioned, turning away from Nino to give Marinette a smile. If the girl suspected anything he couldn't tell. Surely, she out of any of them would know he _did_ _not_ have fencing yesterday… (with her calendar and all) but she simply looked worried before she blushed and turned away as she caught his gaze.

In the distance, the bell signaling the end of the lunch hour sounded which made Nino groaned. "Over already," he sighed.

"How bout we come back after school? I had Natalie reschedule my photoshoot because of the fencing competition," _and my scratched-up nails…_ Adrien finished to himself.

"Yea dude! You girls game?" Nino asked. Alya agreed right away.

"We'll be there, right Marinette?" Alya smiled smugly at her.

Turning red she glanced at Adrien, who gave her an encouraging smile.

"Yea… yea of course," she stuttered.

"Great!" Adrien said. He slowly and stiffly climbed to his feet. Smiling he held a hand out to Marinette. He watched her hesitate a moment before grasping his hand and allowing him to pull her up.

"Th-thanks…" she stuttered.

She took her bag from him after he had also picked it up from the ground. It was the best he could do, he reasoned, still wishing he could help her out more. Even still, it made her blush and he saw Alya giving her a sly smirk. This made Adrien smile.

He would absolutely be having lunch with them more often.

 **A/N: sorry for the ten day wait, I didn't realize it had been so long. Well the Hy-Vee cake competition is over for me so now I'm free and can relax! :)**

 **Only three chapters left after this! Wow! In the home stretch. I do want to write more after this, maybe a Danny Phantom or something would be fun :)**

 **I have an infusion on Monday which means three hours stuck in a chair with an IV and internet! Maybe that means chapter ten? hm... :) Until next time, bye bye!**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **8/17/17**


	10. Chapter 10 Everything Would Change

**Concealment**

Chapter Ten

Everything Would Change

POV: Marinette

 _She took her bag from him after he had also picked it up from the ground. It was the best he could do, he reasoned, still wishing he could help her out more. Even still, it made her blush and he saw Alya giving her a sly smirk. This made Adrien smile._ _He would absolutely be having lunch with them more often._

Marinette collapsed on the chaise lounge with a deep groan.

"Are you okay, Marinette?" Tikki squeaked phasing out of the purse and flying over to sit beside her chosen.

"Everything hurts," Marinette groaned, not moving from her spot.

"I'm sorry…" Tikki's small voice reached Marinette's ears and had the girl up instantly, picking the kwami up in her hands.

"Tikki, no feeling bad – we already discussed this and no part of this is your fault," Marinette said, scolding the kwami just a little. It wasn't her fault after all, it was part of the job and both she and Marinette knew it. But still, it wasn't easy for the kwami to see and Marinette knew it.

Gazing up at Marinette, Tikki nodded even though her eyes still held sadness.

"So, any ideas on who Chat Noir might be?" Marinette asked, hoping to distract the kwami from the injuries. It wasn't perfect but Tikki's eyes lost some of their sadness.

"No, I don't, unfortunately, his concealment is strong," Tikki answered.

"Huh?" Marinette had never heard Tikki use that term before.

"There is a magic we call 'Concealment' that suppresses friends and families recognizing you when you are Ladybug. It's the same for Chat Noir. So even though you change very little in looks when you become Ladybug, those around you don't recognize you. It's a protection for you and them, and it works on kwami's as well. I won't recognize Chat because of his concealment," the red insect like kwami explained, still resting in Marinette's hands.

"So that's why even Alya hasn't put it together?" Marinette asked.

"Yea. And why Chat was so surprised it was you," Tikki answered, the memory of his face making her smile just a little.

"You really think I know him?" Marinette asked.

"Yes, for sure. I believe you and him must know each other well," Tikki replied to Marinette making her girls eyes widen in shock.

"You're so confident? Why?" Marinette questioned her.

"I've had all day to think about what happened yesterday, going over everything since we've met," Tikki explained. "I'm certain you know each other, I just have no idea who he might be."

"That's so weird, I don't know anyone as goofy as him!" Marinette murmured, thinking over his punful personality.

"Probably more because he isn't' so…punny as a civilian, just as you are more reserved then Ladybug," Tikki reasoned.

"I guess…" she said thoughtfully. Thinking back to earlier that day and the list she made about Chat, Marinette pulled out her old year book and started going through it, page by page. "If I do know him so well, it's a good chance we go to school together. So, it stands to reason that he would be in here somewhere."

Tikki joined her, watching as the pages turned. Marinette would pause on every blond boy, taking longer on those with green eyes, sometimes covering the eyes to see if it made Chat appear – it never did. After over an hour of looking Marinette threw the book aside.

"Maybe he's new?" Tikki suggested.

"The only new kid is Adrien and it's not him," Marinette groaned.

Sighing, Tikki nodded in agreement.

"Ahhh, I'm going to go soak in the bath," Marinette cried, temporarily giving up on Chat's identity. She rose from her lounge and set Tikki back down on it. "Be back in a little while, Tikki."

"Okay Marinette," the kwami said, gazing at the wall of Agreste pictures as Marinette descended her trap door staircase.

POV: Adrien

"She isn't going to figure it out, Adrien," Plagg said later that day when they had returned to the privacy of his bedroom. "You could repeat an entire conversation with her as both Chat and Adrien and she still won't figure out who you are."

"That's impossible Plagg," Adrien scoffed.

"I've seen it happen before," the cat kwami said. "I've even been on the _receiving end_ of it too. I know the power of the concealment, been there – done that." Plagg waved a paw in the air as he floated along beside his chosen.

"Ugh! That' so not fair," Adrien groaned, plopping down on the bed. "How long till you and Tikki can transform?"

"Transform? Comfortably? Another three days for Tikki at least, I might be ok after two days, we'll just have to wait and see," Plagg said clearly not looking forward to the process.

"Is it painful?" Adrien asked, concerned.

"Imagine it like having to run a half marathon after you ran a whole marathon the hour before. It's more exhausting then truly painful, though… it's not like I've ever ran before to even know what that would feel like…"

That at least got a laugh out of Adrien.

"Just get to know her for now, nothing wrong with that," Plagg suggested.

"Yea, I guess you're right," Adrien smiled. "I think I'll take a bath Plagg." He rose from his bed, stiff muscles crying for some form of relief. But first he walked over to the fridge and pulled out four wheels of Camembert cheese. "Eat up buddy," he said, dropping the wheels on the couch.

"CHEESE!" the kwami cried out, diving into the wheels, causing Adrien to laugh again. He headed to his bathroom with a smile on his face as the black cat of destruction dug into the smelly pile of cheese.

 _The next few days went by similar to the first. They ate lunch in the park and chatted in the classroom. The four of them even made it to a movie together on Friday after Adrien's fencing practice, which aggravated his barely healed body far too much for his liking, making him fidget through the whole movie. "Sore muscles…" he kept saying._

 _Plagg recovered well and Tikki slept 90% of the time. Muscles began to mend, nails grew out, scrapes scabbed over and soon their Saturday night patrol arrived._

POV: Adrien

"Do you think she'll come?" Adrien asked Plagg. "It's been four days since the attack… surely Tikki is recovered by now?"

"Good chance of it. I don't see what would keep her away," Plagg agreed. "Hopefully I'll get to see her tonight."

"Her? You mean Tikki?"

"Yea…" Plagg murmured.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you…?"

"Yea…"

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Adrien asked. "Plagg, Claws out!"

A green flash and a few claw swipes later, Chat Noir leapt out Adrien's bedroom window and into the cool night air.

POV: Marinette

"Are you ready?" Tikki asked softly.

"I'm kinda nervous… We've worked together for so long… I don't want to ruin that dynamic."

"It was never a permanent thing, Marinette. The secret identities, they were going to be revealed eventually. Everything will be fine, I can feel it," Tikki said, floating up to kiss Marinette's forehead. "You ready?" she asked again.

"I guess so," Marinette took a deep breath, "Tikki, Spot's on!"

A flash of red light lit the room before Ladybug climbed up to the balcony. She took a final deep breath then went swinging away into the night.

 _The two heroes relished the freedom of the night as they journeyed to the Eiffel Tower. No matter what happened, everything would change after tonight._

 **A/N: Hey! Short wait but this is a tiny bit of a filler chapter. Hope u wore the right glasses to look at the sun! I was/am stuck in a chair with a IV in my arm so all I saw was darkening clouds lol. Next to a bowl full of candy... self-control Bleach! Self-control! lol. Did you know mini Twix candies say 'right' and 'left' on them. HAHA**

 **Well two chapters to go, can u believe it! Wow! The next chapter is Chats reveal! OOOOOoooooo!**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **8/21/17**


	11. Chapter 11 Concealment

**Concealment**

Chapter Eleven

Concealment

POV: Marinette

 _The two heroes relished the freedom of the night as they journeyed to the Eiffel Tower. No matter what happened, everything would change after tonight._

Ironically – and for the first time – the two heroes landed on the Eiffel Tower at the same moment. Racing up the side of the iconic structure together to their personal ledge. They landed at the same moment, stood up at the same moment, and turned to one another. Green meeting blue. They didn't speak, just looked at each other for a while.

Finally Chat held out his fist to her, waiting.

"What?" Ladybug asked, confused.

"We didn't get to finish after the last akuma battle, I thought…" he trailed off, not finishing his thought.

Ladybug smiled fondly at him, then raised her fist and bumped his. "Pound it," she said. This made Chat Noir beam.

"Pound it," he repeated.

Suddenly Ladybug found herself wrapped in a hug that was almost too tight. But she understood, she was just glad he had been the first to make a move. "You scared me so much Ladybug, My Lady, I thought I was going to lose you!"

"I'm sorry, Chat," she murmured, returning the hug as tightly as she could.

"Are you okay?" he suddenly released her. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" His hands traveled down her arms and to her face, frantically searching for any sign of pain or injury.

"I'm fine, you didn't hurt me. I've recovered almost completely and so has Tikki," she said smiling, as relief flooded his features.

"I'm so glad, I've been watching you all week Marinette. Doing what I could to make your week easier but being hurt myself… and I didn't want to seem too forceful out of the blue like that…" Chat said, causing the bug to stiffen.

"All… all week?" she asked quietly. "You've…you've been with me? Wh-when? How?"

Chat Noir sighed, "Plagg said you wouldn't be able to notice. That the magic would hid recognition," he paused. "How about some hints? If that's okay with you?"

Ladybug gazed at him, thinking. She'd been trying all week to figure out his identity and still had no idea who he could be – even Tikki couldn't come up with a guess.

When she didn't respond Chat backed off. "Unless you don't want to know," he said, dejected.

"It's not that Chat," she murmured.

"Did your kwami tell you to not find out?" he asked quietly.

"No, not that either," Ladybug said, shaking her head. "I'm just nerves, scared it will change our partnership."

"I thought we were friends too? Not just partners…" he said quietly.

Ladybug looked at him questioningly, "As civilians?"

"That too, but as superheroes, you're my friend, not just my partner, right? I've always said it didn't matter who you were under the mask, and now that I know who you are…"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad it's you, Marinette," Chat answered. "In hindsight… I couldn't have picked a better Ladybug."

She gazed at him, searching his eyes for any hint of insincerity.

"Have I ever lied to you, Bugaboo?" he asked with a smile.

She sighed, "No, no you haven't. Okay then."

"Okay?"

"Give me some hints," she replied.

Chat's face lit up. "Awesome! Okay, first one," he grinned. "I have blond hair and green eyes."

Ladybug groaned, "That much I'd figured out!" she laughed. Ladybug settled down on the beam they stood on, dangling her legs, one over each side. Chat Noir joined her and they faced one another.

"I'm secretly Chat Noir," Chat Noir's grin widened.

"So not helpful!"

"Okay, okay, I'm… allergic to feathers," he suggested next.

"I knew that, too."

"But do you know anyone else who is allergic to feathers?" he asked.

Ladybug thought for a while, "Well… I know at least one person but I guess there could be more."

"Who is the one?"

"Um… well, Adrien Agreste is. He sneezed when he put on the derby hat I made," Ladybug said, remembering the day fondly.

Chat nodded, "That is true."

"Next hint?"

That took Chat off guard but he plowed on. "Okay, I'm rather new to the school."

"So we go to school together?" Ladybug asked.

"Yep, and who is new?"

"Hm… a few people came last year, Aaron in class B and Emily," Ladybug listed.

"Pretty sure I'm not Emily," Chat smirked.

"Haha, and… Adrien Agreste is new from this year too," she continued.

"True, true, he is," Chat nodded again.

"Any other hints?" she asked.

Chat sighed, laughing. "I've been watching you at lunch this past week," he replied, sure that this would sell him out for sure.

"Really? With me, Alya, Nino and Adrien?"

"Yep," he answered, grinning. "I've been watching you very closely. Almost like I have a front row seat."

"Well there are other students in the park too. And Adrien has been watching me too, or so Alya says…" Ladybug said thoughtfully.

Chat grinned, "Has he now?"

"Yea, and he's been talking to me a lot too," Ladybug blushed.

"Has he?" Chat repeated, "Do I have some competition?" he smirked.

"Maybe," Ladybug returned his smirk with one of her own. "What else are you going to tell me? I still have no clue who you are."

"This concealment power is annoying," he laughed. "Anyone else – at least I hope – would be able to put one and one together."

"The saying is 'put two and two together,' not one and one," she corrected him.

"I know, but it's easier than 'two and two', so I made it 'one and one', that's how easy it should be," he winked as he tried to explain.

"Ugh you and your lame jokes!" she cried, exasperated.

"Okay, summing up what I've said: I have blond hair, green eyes," he said, starting to count off a list on his fingers. "I'm allergic to feathers, new to the school, I've been watching you at lunch, on top of that, we get along, we are friends even in if our first interactions were a bit… sticky… and not only have I interacted with Marinette as Chat but Ladybug has interacted with civilian me. Who am I, Marinette?"

Frustrated, Ladybug groaned, "Well, Adrien fits all the first things, and our first meeting involved gum. I have dealt with him as Ladybug but you are NOT Adrien so I don't know who you expect me to say."

Chat smacked his head – imitating Ladybug with her best 'I'm annoyed with Chat' face.

"Fine, if you don't get it after one more hint, I'm dropping my transformation," Chat said.

"Kay…"

"You have a crush on me," Chat looked her in the eyes.

Bewildered she replied, "No… I have a crush on Adrien… which you know since you saw my room…"

"I know you do, you have a crush on me."

"Chat you aren't making any sense!"

The cat themed hero sighed. "Plagg, Claws in." In a flash of green light Chat Noir disappeared. In his place sat…

Ladybug's hands flew to her mouth, shock filling her eyes as she stared at his civilian form.

"Adrien?"

 **A/N: Ahhh! What will Marinette do! Lol, the final chapter will reveal it all lol.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it! And thanks for all the reviews! You guys are great!**

 **(Happy Birthday Sis!)**

 **And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **8/30/17**


	12. Chapter 12 Changes and a Kiss

**The Final Chapter Of:**

 **Concealment**

Chapter Twelve

Changes and a Kiss

POV: Adrien

 _Ladybug's hands flew to her mouth, shock filling her eyes as she stared at his civilian form._ _"Adrien?"_

Plagg floated inches from Adrien's face, smug as a cat can be. "I told you she wouldn't get it. You have one of the strongest concealments of any Chat Noir before you."

"Adrien? It's you?" Ladybug whispered.

"Surprise," Adrien smiled. "I guess no amount of hints was going to remove the concealment."

"Oh, my, god, Serious! How – how – what?" she cried.

"That was my thoughts a few moments ago!" Adrien said, laughing

"Concealment is very strong magic. It's one of the best defenses you two have," Plagg told his chosen. Then he turned his attention to Ladybug, "The names Plagg by the way, nice to meet you. I'm Chat's kwami. Can you release Tikki? Please?"

"Oh… um sure… I guess so, no reason staying hidden anymore…" Ladybug murmured. "Tikki, spots off."

In a similar flash of red the little kwami Adrien had met nights before appeared. Rushing over she tackled Plagg from the air and the two went tumbling into the open air with a screech of "Plagg!" Tikki's voice sounded far happier and much chipper then the last time he had met her.

"She's better than before," he stated, smiling back at Marinette who was blushing red in the night sky. "And you're looking better since yesterday as well."

"Um… y-yea. I slept most of today… we both did," she motioned to her kwami. "I can't believe I was so blind. You're even the only person to not be akumatized besides me in our class."

"Makes you feel a bit like an idiot, I know. I've been kicking myself all week for not figuring it out, but at least," he continued, "We know we are well hidden and that protects our families and friends from Hawkmoth."

Marinette nodded. "The concealment is a good trick. Though… I'm sure it works in Hawkmoth's favor as well."

"True, but for now… I believe you were worried about our team dynamic?" Adrien murmured. "Are you still worried? Has anything changed?"

"Has anything Changed? Everything has changed," Marinette murmured, watching the kwamis chase one another around the midnight blue sky.

Silence fell and Adrien waited, worry was spreading into his heart as he watched her. He knew she would need time, just as he had needed time as well. And he wanted to give it to her but he also wanted to hear that their team would be stronger now. Not weaker. They could help each other now. Contact the other if an attack occurred and the other didn't know. They could give each other alibies for where they had been during attacks. And…

A blush crossed his face as his eyes landed first on her hand sitting so close to his. Then his eyes rose to her face and lips, lips he wanted to kiss, lips that were currently being bitten by their owner as she deliberated in her mind. Finally, she released them with a sigh.

"My Lady?" he asked, pleased to see her blush darken.

"Chaton," she started. "What… what do you think about my crush on the Agreste boy? Do you think Marinette has a shot with him? After all… he seems pretty hung up on this Ladybug person…"

It took Adrien a moment to register what she had said, then he broke into a smile. "I think Marinette will find she as more than just a chance with Agreste… if you think Chat has a chance with Ladybug? After all, first crushes are hard to forget."

"Yea, I know. But… second crushes can be just as hard to forget as those first crushes…" she looked to Adrien, smiling at his confusion. "Because somewhere between the puns and the flirting… Chat Noir crept into Ladybug's heart just as easily as Adrien flew into Marinette's."

It was Adrien turn to blush, but he smiled too. "I would have to agree with you there. Second crushes are just as powerful as their predecessors," Adrien agreed. Turning he gazed out at the Paris skyline. "But I think your second crush has helped with your problem with the first one," he told her.

"Problem?" Marinette asked, confused.

"You've stopped stuttering," Adrien smiled, turning back to gaze at her.

Marinette face returned to the deeper red that had begun to fade. "Right… that. I could never figure out why I started that in the first place," she sighed, shoulders slumping and she gazed down at her hands. "I hope it doesn't return, I was finally getting over it this week."

"Only because you started groaning at my puns instead," Adrien winked at her when she looked up. Her eyes narrowed at him.

"Ugh, that should have been a giveaway right there," Marinette said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"That's the magic of the Miraculous for you. Though it was fun seeing you moan and groan as Marinette," he playfully shoved her shoulder.

"It will be more fun to shoot down your flirting now that I know it's you," Marinette winked at him this time, pulling out some Ladybug courage from somewhere deep inside.

"But My Lady!" his face fell, reveiling the Chat she knew and loved.

"Yes, Mou Chaton?" she smirked and he saw the glint in her eyes. Calling her bluff he leaned in closer to her.

"You won't shoot me down _every_ time, will you?" he asked quietly.

"Guess you'll have to wait and see," she grinned, leaning into him and letting their lips met.

It was a quick first kiss. And technically it was their second, to Marinette's at least, and she blushed hard at that thought. Not that she was the only one blushing.

"Eeew!" Plagg cried, drawing their chosen's attention, causing the kiss to break. The little kwami was watching them with his tongue stuck out in discussed. Tikki giggled.

"Oh Plagg," she laughed. Then, surprising all three of them, she floated over and kissed Plagg cheek.

"Huh?" the little black cat was speechless, green eyes going wide as saucers. Tikki blushed pink instead of red. Marinette giggled. And Adrien broke out laughing.

Yes, everything would change.

But maybe not all change was bad.

FIN

 **A/N: It's over :( so sad! I cant believe its done! Wow. I don't have anything in the works right now but maybe I can get to writing more soon. Sorry about the wait for the chapter but it was worth it, right? Let me know what you thought, I really do appreciate the reviews :) And with any luck we will have new episodes to watch soon! Even if it is another three or four months... :'( And please feel free to leave a review! They keep me smiling!**

 **9/10/17**

 **All prayers going out to those in Texas and Florida as the recover from Harvey and are hit by Irma. Stay safe everyone!  
** **And prayers for all those affected by 9/11 on this 16th anniversary.**

 **We will never forget.**


End file.
